"The web has been alight these past few weeks with the details of the Apple v. Samsung lawsuit. It's been a unique opportunity to peer behind the curtain of how these two companies operate, as the trial seeks to answer the question: did Samsung copy Apple? But there's actually another question that I think is much more interesting to the future of innovation in the technology industry: regardless of whether the courts say that Samsung copied Apple or not, would we all be better off if we allowed - even encouraged - companies to copy one another?" This is very relevant.

Take icons like the infamous handset on a green backdrop or the musical note on top of a CD with a blue backdrop. While these are clear ways to represent a given function, even within the bounds of a relatively square icon, there are probably dozens of different ways to do the same thing well. Why exactly copy Apple?

I think your reply shows exactly what I was critiquing. I didn't say no one else could use a musical note, for example. But, the particular arrangement of a particular musical note overlaid on a CD is something that is specifically related to iTunes. Why not use a different note? Or skip the CD? That was my point. The phonograph reference was intended to be ironic.

(Oh, and while a CD is a dying technology, a musical note isn't, so I think a CD is antiquated whereas a musical note is not. Antiquated implies it is outdated, not just old.)